


The Homecoming

by DementedPixie



Series: Demented Pixie's Pros Fic [30]
Category: The Professionals (TV 1977)
Genre: Episode: s04e06 Discovered in a Graveyard, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-10
Updated: 2020-02-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:40:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22653379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DementedPixie/pseuds/DementedPixie
Summary: Post DIAGPLEASE DO NOT RE-POST THIS STORY ON ANY OTHER PLATFORM.
Relationships: William Bodie/Ray Doyle
Series: Demented Pixie's Pros Fic [30]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1264832
Kudos: 9





	The Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

  * For [minori_k](https://archiveofourown.org/users/minori_k/gifts).



> My name is Demented Pixie and I’m a Pros fan, but that hasn’t always been my name. If you knew me as In Love With Both and you’re a friend, then you’ll already know why I left the fandom some years back. But, hey, a girl can change her mind, and I have therefore decided to re-share my Professionals fanfiction on this amazing Archive – no changes, no improvements, no alterations. I’ll be posting them just as they were written. No comments, no trolls, and no betas. Just me and my stories. I’m sharing them so that they can take their place in the archive, but I’m also sharing them for the Pros generation, for those future generations yet to discover Bodie and Doyle, and for Sandra, who has never ceased waving pompoms for all Pros fanfiction writers.  
> The following story was written by me in 2014.

The Homecoming  
By ILWB

Written for the wonderful artist, Minori

It was my first job since arriving in London on my gap year from University in Osaka. I had joined a couple of agencies but they couldn’t seem to find jobs that really suited me. I didn’t want to be a waitress – the tips were too flexible to be sure that my take home pay would cover the rent – and I’d heard all sorts of stories about the way au pair’s were treated by the people who employed them. So I found myself working in a large and very swanky block of executive flats in Kensington where they had need of a cleaner and house keeper. I was finally in the place I’d always wanted to visit – London – and I was here for a whole year. This job was financing that and I was having the time of my young life. 

My first day at work, however, was a little strange. I was asked to clean in a flat where there had been a shooting and I was a little nervous, to say the least. As I unlocked the door of the top floor apartment and stepped inside I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, certainly not a very beautiful apartment with high ceilings and beams of sunlight that streamed through tall windows to highlight a large blood stain on the white carpet. I pulled my trolley of cleaning products into the room and tried not to think about it too much.

I had no experience at all of cleaning blood from a carpet but luckily for me the products I had been given to use were very efficient. I soaped the carpet thoroughly and then sat back to give the harsh solutions time to soak in. 

I have a great respect for people’s homes and belongings and in no way did I intend to snoop, but I couldn’t exactly just sit there staring into space. After a brief glance around the room I decided it must be a man’s flat - a collection of large models of toy soldiers decorated the sideboard and I couldn’t imagine a woman being pleased about them having such a prominent position in the room. But although it was a man’s flat it didn’t lack for warmth and comfort. The large sofa that I was sitting on was soft and welcoming, there was a TV and a record player, and I felt that it was a very nice room to spend time in. I tried really hard not to think about what had happened to the man who lived here or whose blood it was that needed cleaning from the carpet. 

After my short break I went back to work and was delighted to find that the products had mostly done my job for me. A little more scrubbing and I believed that, once dry, the carpet would be as good as new. 

With a slight sense of sadness for what must have happened in this very spot I finished the job and cleaned away all my equipment before preparing to leave the flat. 

And on I went to the next job in the apartment block. Whatever happened in this particular flat, sad though it must have been, life goes on. 

******

It was six weeks later before I found myself back in the same apartment again. I had been very busy but had enjoyed every moment of my job, getting to know the people in the block until I felt like a real part of their small community. My job list today included opening up the apartment on the top floor and airing it, hoovering and dusting and generally spring cleaning it. I admit I was curious and the thoughts about who might be arriving today kept me occupied as I went about my work. Maybe it was a brand new tenant but it seemed unlikely as all the furniture and belongings I had seen before were still there. The sun was out so I threw open the French doors, letting the warm fresh air in and making the long sheer curtains float inwards. Humming, I started to dust the lounge, carefully lifting each of the model soldiers as I polished beneath them when, suddenly, I heard a key in the front door lock. 

“Yeah, I know, Ray, but they’ve told you to take it easy so that’s what you’re going to do.”

“Says who?”

“Says me.”

The two male voices came slowly closer and I froze, model soldier in hand. A man entered the room, he was slim with auburn curls and green eyes, closely followed by a dark haired man who was smiling but had concern clear in his blue eyes. They both stopped in the doorway when they saw me.

“Hello, love,” said the second man. “Thought you’d be done by now.”

“I…” I stammered in response. “I’m sorry.”

“Put that down before you drop it, eh?” said the curly haired man, nodding at the soldier. 

“Sorry,” I repeated, placing the soldier carefully back on the sideboard and clutching at my duster, nervously. 

“Come on, Ray,” said the dark haired man, putting a hand on Ray’s elbow and encouraging him forward. “Sit down before you fall down, eh?”

“Stop fussing, Bodie,” said Ray, nether the less allowing himself to be led across to the settee where he sank down on the soft cushions with a grateful sigh. 

“If I want to fuss, I’ll bloody well fuss,” replied Bodie, making sure Ray was comfortable before looking at me again. “What’s your name, love?”

I bowed my head, politely. “Minori.”

“Put the kettle on, eh?” 

This request was made along with such a melting smile that there was no way I would even think of refusing him. I bowed my head again and went straight into the kitchen to make some drinks for them. As I waited for the kettle to come to the boil I tried not to listen to their conversation but it was impossible not to as only one open door separated us. 

“I’ll put your tablets on here.”

“Don’t want to keep being reminded about it all.”

“If you don’t you’ll forget to take them.”

“With you on duty? Hardly likely.”

“I’m not your Mother.”

“Exactly, and it’s about time you remembered that.”

An awkward silence.

“Sorry.”

“S’alright.”

“I’ve always been a grumpy patient.”

“I know. Forget it.”

“I do appreciate everything you do, Bodie.”

“I said forget it.”

“And now you’re sulking.”

“I don’t sulk.”

“Yeah right! Come over here.”

“What for?”

“What do you think?”

“The girl’s in the kitchen.”

“So she won’t see this then, will she?”

“What?”

“This.”

I stirred the teapot determinedly. How long should I leave it before appearing with the drinks?! If I left it much longer the tea would resemble beef stew. I left it as long as I could before finally arranging the tea things on the tray, making sure they clattered quite noisily, and then coughed loudly as I carried the tray back into the lounge. 

Bodie was kneeling on the settee and was locked in Ray’s warm embrace as they kissed. As I coughed again it became apparent that Bodie was trying to escape but Ray wasn’t letting him. I smiled and placed the tea tray on the side table with a tactful clatter.

Ray released Bodie’s lips for a moment. 

“Thanks, Minori,” he said. I could tell from his voice that he was smiling although I couldn’t see his face at all because Bodie was still being held in position. “We can take it from here.”

Picking up my tray of cleaning equipment I tiptoed out of the apartment, happier than I could ever have imagined I’d be that the man who had been shot had come back and was being so well looked after by a man who loved him so much.

Life does indeed go on. 

Suddenly inspired, I pulled the front door shut behind me and took out my notebook and pencil from my pocket. It was time to draw...


End file.
